DUBAI: Australia all-rounder Marcus Stoinis will undergo a scan later on Thursday after pulling up with a hamstring issue during an Indian Premier League (IPL) match, the injury coming just weeks before the start of the Twenty20 World Cup.

Stoinis has been named in Australia’s 15-man squad for the October-November World Cup after missing tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh and is expected to play a key role.

The 32-year-old pulled up after bowling his seventh ball of the game for Delhi Capitals against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday, his team’s first match following the resumption of the tournament in Dubai after a break enforced by rising Covid-19 cases in India.

Stoinis did not play any further part in the match, which Delhi won by eight wickets to the top of the table. Delhi had initially said Stoinis suffered a calf injury but cricket.com.au reported it was a left hamstring strain.

A Delhi spokesperson said on Thursday that Stoinis would go for a scan to determine the extent of the injury later in the day.

The IPL match on Wednesday had gone ahead despite Hyderabad seamer T. Natarajan testing positive for Covid-19 hours before the contest.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2021